We
@DiverseEd2020
have been working on an A-Z for DEIBJ. A poster for your staff rooms/ offices/ classrooms will be shared at the end of the series through our
#DiverseEd
newsletter.
A - Allyship
How are you showing up, standing up and speaking out in solidarity?
Last official day at work today...
Goodbye salary, stability & security...
Hello space, freedom & creativity...
Excited to have some interesting work, projects & partnerships coming my way...
Appreciate my network holding me...
More to follow...
It's my balloon day! 🎈🎈🎈
It's been 4 years since I turned 40 and resigned from headship and left the security of a salaried role.
It's been 4 years since I really focused on my Ikigai and got clear on what brings me joy/purpose/fulfilment.
No regrets. Life is good. 🌷🌷🌷
I think the 5,000 hits of my blog in one day far outweighs the thousands of hateful insults thrown at me over the last 3 days. Thank you edutwitter for love, support and kindness. Your solidarity has been a source of strength for me.
50 bigots blocked. 50 supportive DMs from
#PLN
received. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to check I’m okay, your kindness outweighs the nastiness. My holistic, inclusive, values-based vision for education is now stronger than ever - we clearly have a lot of work to do!
Reflecting lots on this over the weekend. Who are your radiators and who are your drains? Who are you a radiator to, and who are you a drain to? How does your mood & mindset dictate your day and your week? Are you an optimistic and positive leader and role model?
#leadership
Congratulations to Hannah Wilson! Hannah has been shortlisted for the Positive Role Model Award for Gender at the National Diversity Awards 2022 in association with
@ITVNews
! Good Luck Hannah!
#NDA
#NDA22
#PositiveRoleModel
#Gender
Went to a secondary school in West London today - every member of the Maths team was a woman. Their HOD is in 3.74 days a week! Brilliant timetabling, 1 day at home, 1 late morning for drop off & 1 early finish for pick up. So she can do 2 mornings and 2 nights with her 3 kids.
It’s that time of year when everyone is tired, everyone’s a bit sharper than normal, and everyone’s a bit more sensitive. Be kind to yourself & others as we rapidly roll into our next break. Be mindful of our own actions as well as how others make us feel. Take a deep breath...
Today is a milestone for
#DiverseEd
Our 1st conference on a school day - DEI is core business & shouldn't be weekend work.
Our 1st event where all speakers are being paid - moving from a grassroots to a business model.
Our 1st event where all workshops will be recorded.
We’ve had a tough few weeks at work. I’ve had a tough few weeks personally. It’s finally Friday night. 🙌🏻 Had a massage 💆♀️ Had a pedicure 🦶 Got a gin 🍸 Having dinner with my Mum & Sister. 🙌🏻Going to switch off & pretend to have a normal job & a normal life for a few spa days!
Our country is in denial about the racial mess it's in. I have witnessed racism throughout my 18 year career. The stories I have heard from my students/ their families are shocking. The rise in hate crime is indisputable. Post election I am uncomfortable.
A good friend DMed me this quote - for anyone who needs to hear it: "You'll never be criticised by someone who is doing more than you. You'll always be criticised by some doing less. Remember that." - Denzel Washington
I am getting a bit sick of people jumping on my tweets to correct what I do, what I think, what I say. It is exhausting! It has been a week where I am tempted to delete my handle and retreat to LinkedIn where people support and affirm one another. Negative energy is draining.
In March when I resigned from Headship I was going to leave education completely, sick of the toxic cultures in MATs & systemic failures nationally. 17 yrs a teacher I waited to apply for jobs, I was very selective, chose 5 - 2 in education, 3 in 3rd sector or diversity. 1/3
Birthday flowers... gin... chocolate... books... perfume... all my favourite things... fab gifts from friends & family. 🥰
But
@benniekara
&
@emmaeswift
sent me birthday Idris! 😍
I know a few people who will be very jealous!! 🤣
2 months travelling gave me headspace to process my emotions. The last 2 weeks have reaffirmed my passion for education. The new connections I have made, the old ones I have revisited, each give me strength. Events like
#BrewEdHerts19
this weekend bring me joy. Thank you all! 3/3
.Morning to everyone in my
#PLN
who has been a massive source of support over the last few days. Thank you to each & every one of you for reaching out. I have been incredibly moved by the kindness I have experienced. It’s a new dawn... It’s a new day... go & be brilliant.
.There are 250,000 qualified teachers in the UK who are not school based. Many are women in their 30s with children seeking flexible roles. We need to invest in the profession/the teachers we have! We need to create more flexible career opportunities. We are the solution!
#bameed
I have clearly found 32k amazing people to follow & be followed by. I seem to miss all the hate, poor behaviour & toxicity these days. My biggest advice after 8 years on here - curate your network. I block & unfollow people who are not values-aligned. Life is too short!
Have had a difficult day so I have culled some of my network.
I am not up for wasting time, energy & headspace on people being negative - there is too much work to be done by us all.
Big love & thank you to the friends/colleagues who have my back.
@Angela__Browne
@benniekara
Can we celebrate the women of Twitter today please?
A few years ago all the 'big hitters' were male.
We now have prominent female thought-leaders, authors & speakers as visible role models for everyone.
You empower & inspire.
Who have I missed below?
Finally!
It's moving in day.
A year of ups and downs with the house sale, purchase and relocation but my stuff returns from storage today.
Order can be restored.
No more hotels / airbnbs this summer - just home, sweet home.
It has been a tough week. One of my toughest in my career to date in fact. Thank you to our fab teams
@AureusSchool
@AureusPrimary
for keeping the cogs going & for looking after each other/ me in the process. Thank you to my guardian angel for my gift too! 👼 Bring on a new week!
Thought for the week: we should strive to be ‘people-centred’ not ‘child-centred’. The ‘child-centred’ philosophy I have is being compromised when it is increasingly used at the expense of adults in a school community. Any thoughts?
Today I have been practising what I preach.
I have had a headache for 5 days (don't normally suffer) & could not shake it off so this morning I cancelled my diary for the first time in 12 mnths. 5 hrs with no zoom has shifted it. 12 months delivering virtually is taking its toll!
have just trained Margaret from the Apprentice!
I was quite surprised to find her in my zoom room for a DEI governance training session - but she is Chair of Governors at a primary school I am working with!
My first celebrity client! ;-)
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
First day of much needed halfterm & I have woken up like a robot at 5.45am without an alarm! Give me strength!!
#teacherproblems
Come on body, work with me!!
Can we start a wave of positivity to lift everyone's spirits?
Can we all share some
#HopeToCope
?
Add to the thread - a positive image... an optimistic quote... an upbeat song... a hopeful clip... a coping tip...
Here is mine:
Woke up to 3 texts this morning from coachees who have nailed interviews and secured new roles for September. Not all are promotions but I know they are going to be much happier in a values-aligned role. Squiggly careers are great. So proud of them all!
I am finally going to do a Masters in Education - starting this week. (I started one in Literature in 2004 but was promoted & kept deferring so it expired!) Who else is on a MA or MEd journey this academic year? I know
@CStewartSHS
@mrswatsonread
@JEM_Science
are!
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex is such a brilliant and visible role model who is smashing through those glass and concrete ceilings. Taking on the system one barrier at a time.
@AOC
This is Bubbles. Bubbles is having flashbacks to someone dancing on a table at the Christmas Do but she has reassured herself that she is shy and she would not have done that herself, especially in front of colleagues.
#catteachers
I am not a big fan of having my photo taken but I survived a full day of being the subject for my website update to mark my 1st year of working independently. Ended in this beautiful spot. 😍
18 years a teacher.
Today is my 1st day of holiday on a term day. Ever.
Feels naughty!
Need to reprogramme my brain...
Off to Amsterdam to explore. I am going to have a gentle couple of days.
Reminding myself to channel Michelle Obama's words of wisdom today as I have been blindsided again this week. Some days it is hard. Resilience needed. Digging deep. Lots to share at
#HeadsUp
next week!
@popejames
@rrunsworth
@AlisonKriel
#womened
Can we do a collective shout out for our School Business Managers/ Leaders, HR leads & PAs?
Gosh they have a tough job keeping all of those plates spinning! I am coaching several & some common trends are coming up about how they are feeling. Let's remind them how valued they are?
This is Bubbles. Bubbles has just gone on to Facebook and seen the photographic evidence from the Christmas Party last night. Bubbles will be spending the weekend feeling ashamed.
#catteachers
End of a chapter - personally & professionally. The removal team have just left - my whole life is packed in the van & is winging its way down to storage in Bath. (I am now a nomad for a few weeks until we complete). Goodbye Oxfordshire - it has been an 'interesting' 6 years!
Thanks everyone for your love, support & warm wishes since I announced my move. This thread is an example of the positive power of Twitter for uplifting one another. It's now official & I start tomorrow! 🙌
#newjob
#newgirl
#newchapter
#newtoHE
#newtoITE
♥️Shout out to all of the lovely people in my network. ♥️
I get so much love and support on here - it is really appreciated - and hopefully reciprocated.
When people say Twitter is toxic and negative - I would suggest pruning (muting/ blocking/ unfollowing).
Choose your circle.
I am feeling landlocked & I am missing the sea.
I need sky, sea & sand in my life.
Where should I consider moving to?
I have no ties & can work from home/ remotely anywhere...
We do not normally publish
@DiverseEd2020
blogs on the weekend, but this one is important & means a lot to me personally.
Leaving a Legacy: Saying Goodbye to My Shero – Karen Giles
A blog on the impact that
@MsKarenGiles
had on me/ others.
#DiverseEd
It was my DHT
@benniekara
who signposted me to a fab job in ITT/ ITE at
#UniOfBuckingham
She gave me a pep talk which I am grateful for. Securing this role leading
#PGCE
felt right, although I was numb at the time as I was being forced onto Gardening Leave. I was traumatised. 2/3
I went into teaching because I loved working with people, my subject & travelling. I thought it would take me around the world. 20 years in the system I made other choices but for 10 days I am in UAE delivering training. It did happen in the end, just differently to planned.
💖 this - I have my teacher 👩🏻🏫 leadership 👨🏽🏫 buddies who regularly keep me going. Thanks 🙏 team - it has been a really tough week. You keep me sane & strong. 🦸🏾♀️ 💪🏽
#womened
If anyone is friends/ in contact with Lee Hill please send him my support - I have emailed the school and offered to have a chat/ support. We went through a similar ordeal a few years ago.
Testing positive for Covid today has really put a spanner in the works. So much for going to a spa to relax after a hectic week and organising/ hosting a conference. Now in isolation for 10 bloody days and feeling grotty to boot.
I have had an epiphany on something today. EMPOWERMENT was the answer looking me in the eye all along but I kept missing it.
Excited to be plotting a little something for January...
To all the women who are empowered and who are empowering others. I salute you.
สั้นๆ กระชับ ได้ใจความ และเข้าใจง่าย
“Act like you have Covit-19.” by Jacinda Ardern, the PM of New Zealand. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
#COVID2019
#Covid_19
#โควิด19เราต้องรอด #พรกฉุกเฉินฯ
Last day of my official holiday in lovely Santa Maria, Sal, Cape Verde, before working remotely for 3 weeks kicks in tomorrow. Here's hoping the wifi is my friend for all of my training and coaching sessions this week.
As another summer holiday closes and I slide into my 16th year of teaching, I would like to wish everyone a positive 1st day, 1st week, 1st half-term. Get those butterflies flying in formation and be kind to yourself this week as it will be a physical and mental shock to be back!
Good luck to everyone stepping up to new leadership roles today/ this week.
Leadership is a privilege.
* Stay true to yourself.
* Stay true to your values.
* Stay focused on your vision.
* Stay mission-led.
* Stay grounded.
* Stay in tune with who you serve.
Get a coach.
Do you lead a project/ organisation that inspires girls to be empowered, lead & lean in? Are you planning activities for International Day of the Girl? I have some news I want to share with you so follow/ comment & I will do a group DM?
#womened
@fearlessfutures
@GenderCollect